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Tracy Gatto

Tracy detected a lump in her right breast when she was 28, and instinctively knew something was seriously wrong. She had lost her father to lung cancer just three years before, in 2008.

After a mammogram, followed by an ultrasound and biopsy at a community hospital, the diagnosis was breast cancer, and Tracy and her mother decided to seek a second opinion at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

At Fox Chase they met with Dr. Elin Sigurdson, who reviewed Tracy’s medical history and sent her genetic testing. She tested positive for BRCA1, meaning she had an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers, but allowed Dr. Sigurdson to determine Tracy’s treatment plan. Her mother was also tested and she was negative, meaning Tracy inherited the gene from her father.

Tracy immediately felt confident about Dr. Sigurdson’s ability to treat her cancer. She was compassionate and warm. In addition to Tracy’s treatment through chemotherapy, she had surgery and reconstruction with Dr. Neal Topham, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Fox Chase. After a successful surgery and reconstruction, she spent a few days in the hospital. “Dr. Sigurdson and Dr. Topham were uplifting and always positive. They made me feel good and very relieved. With my mom by my side, we fought my cancer together. We often refer to the experience as ‘our cancer.’”

“The nurses at Fox Chase were amazing. It really takes a special person to work at Fox Chase. Everyone I met had a smile on their face and was incredibly positive. It’s hard to make cancer a positive experience, but I never left feeling discouraged. Instead, I felt like I was kicking cancer in the butt!”

Tracy’s dogs and cats also helped lift her spirits during treatment. So, since 2012, Tracy and her family and have participated in Paws for the Cause, an annual dog walk and fundraiser hosted by Fox Chase. “It gives me joy to give back to Fox Chase so that the doctors and nurses can continue to help people like me.”

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